San Diego @ Arizona preview

Last Meeting ( May 24, 2013 ) San Diego 2, Arizona 5

San Diego's Andrew Cashner has thrived in his new role as a starter and he'll have a ton of confidence when the Padres visit the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday. Cashner is 3-2 with a 2.80 ERA since being moved into the rotation April 20. He has recorded four quality starts and has yielded two or fewer runs in five of the six outings. Cashner, who averages 94 miles per hour with his fastball - sixth-highest among major-league starters, also possesses an effective changeup.

Arizona will give the ball to Wade Miley, who was the runner-up in 2012 National League Rookie of the Year voting and is experiencing a bit of a sophomore slump. The Padres helped contribute to his woes by defeating him 7-6 in San Diego on May 3, handing him his first loss of the year. The Diamondbacks won Friday's series opener 5-2 on the strength of a five-run seventh inning. A bright spot for the Padres was the return of Carlos Quentin, who went 3-for-3 with two doubles and scored a run after missing the previous two games with a left knee injury.

TV: 10:10 p.m. ET, Fox Sports San Diego, Fox Sports Arizona

PITCHING MATCHUP: Padres RH Andrew Cashner (3-2, 3.02 ERA) vs. Diamondbacks LH Wade Miley (3-3, 3.67)

Cashner made six starts in his first 93 major-league appearances and was 0-1 with a 4.38 ERA. The 26-year-old Conroe, Texas, native allowed three runs and struck out a season-high six in 6 2/3 innings in San Diego's 13-4 victory over Washington on Sunday. Cashner has allowed 29 hits, walked 11 and struck out 24 in 35 1/3 innings as a starter this season. Cashner is 1-0 with a .276 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in seven appearances (three starts) against Arizona.

Miley has lost two straight starts, although he pitched well enough to win his last outing. The 26-year-old Hammond, La., native allowed two runs in six innings in Arizona's 2-1 loss at Miami on Sunday. Miley fell to 1-3 with a 6.28 ERA in five outings against San Diego when he yielded four runs and nine hits - including Yonder Alonso's two-run homer - in five innings May 3. Miley began the season with two wins and four straight quality starts.

WALK-OFFS

1. Arizona CF A.J. Pollock has eight hits in his last 14 at-bats while Diamondbacks RF Gerardo Parra is 1-for-19 over his last five games.

2. Quentin recorded his third multi-hit game of the season Friday and raised his average 26 points to .204. He is 8-for-47 in May.

3. The Diamondbacks are in a first-place tie with the Colorado Rockies in the National League West, with the San Francisco Giants one game behind.

PREDICTION: Padres 3, Diamondbacks 2